Pages

Wednesday, 19 June 2013

No rain but the ARK stills fills up

The ARK is a floating artwork and film installation which slowly travelled down the Leeds and Liverpool canal from Blackburn through Clayton Le Moors on to Burnley and finally to Brierfield. Ironically we had three amazing days of sun for the time the ARK landed. We had many visitors from people seeing it on TV to the many users of the canal during this sunny period. I talked to a whole range of people who all loved the ARK and the film that captured so much of what makes this area special to people. We had about 350 people venture onboard over the three days. Amazingly a asian gentlemen who working in a factory in Accrington recognised the hook that grabs the cotton on a loom, which was only manufactured in Accrington as it was such a delicate casting job and he made them!

The walking tour was a a great success with 20 people gathering around Fiona from the Library to hear more about the local history of Brierfield. We really wasn't sure how many people would come but it was a great turn out. We even had visitors from Manchester who had seen the ARK on TV, who said we can't get audiences from the big cities.

Talkaoke again was a buzz with a range of topics from environmental issues, recycling, Brierfield Mill and its future, Northern Soul, how people can have their say in local issues, unions and does this generation of young people know how to have a say.

It was all rounded off by the Talk by Beth who helped to put more of a context to what inspired the art work. Its always great to hear from the artist and be reminded how artists can help us to re look at our environment, culture and history, representing in such imaginative ways. Here is a snapshot

As part of Make a Noise in a library fortnight we also had activities for the beginnings of music work with young people in Brierfield.